The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-03-04
WAS SHE A COWARD?
Why Molly 'Did Things" as if She
Were Brave.

"Oh, Molly Bates! before I'd be such
II 'fraid cat!'' shouted Frank Parsons,
as he saw Molly climb five-rail fence
and scramble up into an apple-tree,
because Mr.. Ways great dog came
barking down the road. Poor Molly
sat clinging to the bough of the tree,
pale as girl could be with the healthy
tan of outdoor life and summer suns
on her face; trembling all over. eyes
full Of terror, and just ready to scream,
when Mr.. Way called off his great En-
glish mastiff, slipped the chain under
his collar and led him away, growing
like distant thunder. Molly crept
down, and Frank went on:
Before I'd climb an apple-tree
cause l was 'fraid of dogr'
Molly said nothing; her eyes were
full of tears, for she liked her cousin
Frank, who was spending the summer
in Newfield, and yet she could not
deny that she was very much afraid of
the dog.
Molly was eight years older than
Frank; bright, sweet girl of seven
teen she had never known her New
York cousins till this summer for they
had been in Europe almost ever since
Frank was born, as he crossed the ocean
at six months old; and the three older
Parsons children had only been to
Newiield once, when they were very
young. Aida was but nineteen now;
Amy just six months older than Molly
Bates. John, the oldest of all, was
twenty-one, and fashionable young
man of the city. Frank had been sent
to Newfield this summer because the
family came back from abroad too
late to put him in school, and they did
not want him ut Newport, or Saratoga,
or LenoX; so he was sent to his uncle's
in Newfield, and enjoyed himself as
heartily there as ever boy did enjoy
country life with kindly, generous rel
atiyes. And Frank liked Molly very
much; she was the oldest of Uncle
Bates two children; for little 'Axe,"
as she called herself, was only four, and
went by the name of Baby" half the
time, nobody ever using her real name
of Achsah.
Boys do not care much for small
children but are apt to fancy those
older than themselves, and Frank took
a great liking to Molly; she was always
ready to go with him on the hills after
berries; to show him where he could
dig sassafras, pick wintergreen, find
black birch for it's odorous twigs,
gather lag-buds, or honeysuckle APP
pies; and she could SHOW him every
cold brook for two miles about where
he could catch small trout, that Aunt
Mary would fry for his supper. And
Molly was such a pretty girl, with her
soft hazel eyes, nut-brown curls, and
rosy cheeks, all lit up BY the sunniest
smiles, that Frank admired her very
much; but, alas! Molly sank great
many degrees in his esteem when he
found out how afraid she was of a bio
dog, of a cow that was cross, of her
fathers fast horses; even of the bic
turkey-cock that came gobbling and
busting and attempting to fly at her
when she crossed the barnyard with a
little red shawl on her shoulders.
Frank thought a girl ought to be as
brave us boy, and quite despised
Molly because, he said:
"She's real, old coward 'Fraid of
a dog! pooh! I'd just as lives slap that
dog in the chops as not!"
II wouldn't try it eff l was YOU"
dryly remarked Hiram, the hired man.
"Molly knows more'n you do about that
there dog; he's uglier N all possessed.
Ways tyin' his level best to get rid on
him, before haydn, for he's bit two of
their folks already"
"Sho! he wouldn't bite girl, don't
believe"
81 dono as he would, an l dono as he
wouldn't; but wouldn't run no resks,
not very fur" answered Hiram.
"Well, she's 'fraid of Bill an joe"
ii wish't you was, Idono what your
folks think ont, but eff you was my boy
you shouldn'tno more drive them young
hoSses than nothing! They amt half
broke"
"Well, Uncle isn't goin' to let me; he
said he was only funnin' when he asked
if didn't want to TAKE them over to
the village for the mail"
kinder lucky you didn't. expect
he had some outlook for your bones.
AS for Molly, she's got grit enough for
any girl, You no need to be pickin'
at hers she's bout as good as they're
made"
shes a 'fraid cat, anyhow"
Hiram laughed, and Frank had the
last word.
But he still despised Molly for being
a coward, and wandered about after
Hiram at his work, or followed his
uncle to the field great deal more
than he had; really, to Molley's relief,
for though she was fond of the bright,
good-natured boy, it was a heavy tax
on her time and patience to wait on
and watch him as she felt obliged to,
as long as he wanted her society. She
had time now to do some sewing, and
help her mother, time to read and
study in the books she had brought
home from school.
But, after all, they were both sorry
to part when the end of September
came, and Frank was sent for to 90
home. They promised to write to each
othei, and perhaps would have kept
the promise, only after two weeks Mrs.
Bates received letter from her sister
asking her to let Molly spend the win